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The Western Mediterranean Forum on Higher Education, Research and Innovation

The Ministers in charge of Research, Innovation and Higher Education in the Dialogue 5+5 Member Countries of the Western Mediterranean, are committed to foster promotion of research, innovation and higher education for social stability and economic growth.

To stimulate growth and employment, the 5+5 Dialogue countries agree to deploy more efforts to promote entrepreneurship, a powerful engine of shared prosperity. In fact, the creation and growth of enterprises promotes employment and development of new skills, reinforces innovation and increases market potentials.

Many countries are engaged in processes of reforming their political, economic and social systems to stimulate investment, to encourage initiative and to foster strong economic partnerships that are essential throughout the Western Mediterranean region.
Dialogue 5+5 Member Countries need to revitalize their economies to promote smart, sustainable and inclusive growth for the purpose of developing disadvantaged regions and enhancing job creation in line with international labour market standards. Research, innovation and higher education play a key role in job creation. There is a need for solid framework of cooperation and conducive synergies among the ten countries.
Confronted with several challenges, the Dialogue 5+5 Member Countries are invited to deepen their partnership to further stimulate economic growth and social stability.
In this context, Dialogue 5+5 countries are encouraged to continue cooperation with the Secretariat of the UfM and build on possible synergies with relevant UfM initiatives and projects such as the Mediterranean Initiative for Jobs (Med4Jobs), the Euro-Mediterranean University of Fes and the EMUNI University.

The Tunis Declaration

The Ministers in charge of Research, Innovation and Higher Education in the Dialogue 5+5 Member Countries of the Western Mediterranean, lastly met on the occasion of the Third Ministerial Conference on Research, Innovation and Higher Education, in Tunis on March 31, 2017 in presence of the European Commission, the General Secretariat of the Arab Maghreb Union, and the General Secretariat of the Union for the Mediterranean.

The Work Programme 2017-2018 aims to further consolidate the actions identified in the Work Programme 2015-2016, and proposes concrete collaborative programs/actions in-line with up-to-date priorities of the Dialogue 5+5 Member Countries in the field of research, innovation and higher education. These actions necessitate financial resources that can be collected from national budgets with possible support from the private sector and regional and international donors.

Tunis declaration 2017

The Group of Senior Officials

The Dialogue 5+5 Ministerial Conference on Research, Innovation and Higher Education celebrated in March 2015 in Madrid (Spain) has agreed on the creation of a “High Level Group”, later renamed as “Group of Senior Officials” (GSO) to align its name to other GSOs created in the context of Dialogue 5+5.

Mohand Tahar Belaroussi Director of Research Programming, Evaluation and Prospecting, Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific ResearchNoureddine Meddad Advisor in charge of Studies and Synthesis, Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research

Maria Cristina Pedicchio President, National Institute of Oceanography and Applied GeophysicsMounir Ghribi International Cooperation and Strategic Partnerships, National Institute of Oceanography and Applied GeophysicsAngelo Camerlenghi Director, National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophysics

Ali Mohamed Salem Boukhary Director of Scientific Research and Innovation, University of Nouakchott Al AasriyaAhmedou Haouba, Président de l'Université des sciences, de technologie et de médecine de Nouakchott

Ahmed Hammouch Director, Directorate of Scientific Research and Innovation, Ministry of Higher Education, Scientific Research and TrainingMohamed Tahiri Director of Higher Education and Pedagogical Development, Ministry of Higher Education, Scientific Research and Training

Gonzalo León Deputy Rector for Innovation Partnership Polytechnic University of MadridTeresa Díez Iturrioz Advisor, Cabinet of the Secretary of State for Research, Development and Innovation Ministry of the Economy, Industry and Competitiveness

Slim Choura Director General of International Cooperation, Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific ResearchAbdelmajid Ben Amara Director General of Scientific Research, Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research